Tommy Atkins (mango)
Encyclopedia
Tommy Atkins is the most important mango
cultivar
in global trade
. Although generally not considered to be the best in terms of sweetness and flavor, it is valued for its very long shelf life
and tolerance of handling and transportation with little or no bruising or degradation.
This means it is the main mango sold in regions where mangoes have to be imported, comprising about 80% of mangoes sold in the United Kingdom
and United States
, apart from growing regions in Hawaii
and Florida
. However in France
it is sold at a discount, while the main imported cultivar
is Kent
, considered less fibrous and tastier.
Tommy Atkins are very similar to the sub-continental cultivar Fajri, which are the last mangoes of the season, particularly in Pakistan
and are conventionally used for animal feed and processing and are generally not considered fit for human consumption.
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
in global trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
. Although generally not considered to be the best in terms of sweetness and flavor, it is valued for its very long shelf life
Shelf life
Shelf life is the length of time that food, drink, medicine, chemicals, and many other perishable items are given before they are considered unsuitable for sale, use, or consumption...
and tolerance of handling and transportation with little or no bruising or degradation.
This means it is the main mango sold in regions where mangoes have to be imported, comprising about 80% of mangoes sold in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, apart from growing regions in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. However in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
it is sold at a discount, while the main imported cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
is Kent
Kent (mango)
The Kent' mango is a named mango cultivar that originated in south Florida.-History:The original tree, a seedling of the Brooks cultivar started in September of 1932, was planted on January 1st, 1933 on the property of Leith D. Kent in Coconut Grove, Florida. 'Kent' was reportedly a cross between...
, considered less fibrous and tastier.
Tommy Atkins are very similar to the sub-continental cultivar Fajri, which are the last mangoes of the season, particularly in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and are conventionally used for animal feed and processing and are generally not considered fit for human consumption.